Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Could Trigger New Levels Of Corporate Activism
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EDITORS' PICK | Feb 27, 2022, 03:33pm EST | 5,377 views
Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Could
Trigger New Levels Of Corporate
Activism
Edward Segal Senior Contributor
Leadership Strategy Follow
I cover crisis-related news, issues and topics.
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TOPSHOT - Ukrainian military vehicles move past Independence square in central Kyiv on February 24, ... [+] AFP VIA
GETTY IMAGES
2-28-22 — The story was updated with information about the steps taken by
Microsoft.
Corporate activism, which ramped up last year in response to environmental, social,
public health and political issues, has started to address international affairs: Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine.
Following the lead of economic and other sanctionsby the U.S. and its allies last week,
some major companies and organizations have already demonstrated their opposition
to the invasion in different ways.
On Monday, Reuters reported that Microsoft (MSFT.O) said it would remove Russian
state-owned media outlet RT's mobile apps from the Windows App store and ban
advertisements on Russian state-sponsored media.
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have blocked Russian state media from running ads
and FedEx and UPS suspended shipments to and from Russia, according to CBS News.
If other business leaders and their companies join in, their actions and words could
create additional pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and further isolate his
country.
BP
The Washington Post reported today that, “British oil giant BP said it is ‘exiting’ its $14
billion stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, in one of
the biggest signs yet of the Western business world cutting ties over the Kremlin’s
actions.
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By Amy Danise Editor“BP’s two representatives on Rosneft’s board, Bob Dudley and Bernard Looney, are also
resigning, the company said.
“Russia’s attack on Ukraine is an act of aggression which is having tragic consequences
across the region. BP has operated in Russia for over 30 years, working with brilliant
Russian colleagues. However, this military action represents a fundamental change. It
has led the bp board to conclude, after a thorough process, that our involvement with
Rosneft, a state-owned enterprise, simply cannot continue,” BP chair Helge Lund said
in a statement Sunday.
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Richard Branson
Richard Branson called Putin "callous" and calculating. Business Insider reported that,
“Virgin Group's founder has posted several tweets and a 592-word blog post since the
start of the invasion. He's been heavily critical of Russia's president and calls for ‘the
strongest of responses’ in full sanctions.”
Delta Air Lines
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Delta Air Lines cut their ties with Aeroflot, the Russian national airline. “We have
removed our code from Aeroflot-operated services beyond Moscow's Sheremetyevo
Airport and removed Aeroflot's code from Delta-operated services from Los Angeles
and New York-JFK, the company said. “Accommodations will be made for customersaffected by these changes,” Delta said in a statement, adding that it does not operate
flights to Ukraine or Russia.
In response, Aeroflot announced today that it has suspended all of their flights until
further notice, CBS News reported.
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne P. Clark said in a statement
that, “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a serious breach of international law, a violation of
Ukraine’s sovereignty, and an affront to our steadfast belief in a world where
democratic countries, following the rule of law and the free enterprise system, can be
free and prosper.
“The business community will continue to support the Administration, Congress, and
our allies to ensure a swift and meaningful response to Russia’s aggression.”
Encouraging Others
Some companies may need “encouragement” to act.
Apple
Market Watch reported that, “The vice prime minister of Ukraine said Friday on
Twitter that he has asked Apple Inc. Chief Executive Tim Cook to stop doing business
with Russia and its citizens, including by cutting off that country’s access to the App
Store.
“Mykhailo Fedorov, whose Twitter bio says he is also Ukraine’s minister of digital
transformation, tweeted Friday from a verified account that he sent a letter imploring
Cook to support Ukraine as it has been attacked by Russia, saying ‘in 2022, modern
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technology is perhaps the best answer to the tanks, multiple rocket launchers and
missiles.’”
Other Tech Companies
“In addition, Fedorov tweeted, and his office confirmed, he has sent similar letters to
Meta Platforms FB, Alphabet GOOGL GOOG, Netflix NFLX and Twitter TWTR.”The longer the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the more likely it is that other
corporations around the world could speak up or take action.
Advice For Business Leaders
As I reported in January, CEOs who are reluctant to be the public face of their
organizations or engage in corporate activism should consider the results of a new poll
that found people want top company executives to be visible and expect them to speak
out on controversial issues and topics.
According to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer:
81% believe CEOs should be personally visible when discussing public policy
with external stakeholders or the work their company has done to benefit
society.
60% said that when considering a job, they expect the CEOs to speak out publicly
about controversial social and political issues that the perspective employee
cares about.
Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other
work here.
Edward Segal Follow
I am a crisis management/communication expert, consultant and bestselling author of the award-
winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, ... Read More
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